Collapsible wheelbarrow

Abstract

A collapsible wheelbarrow has a barrow formed of a plurality of panels that are hinged together to transition between an erected state in which the panels are configured to define the operative barrow and a collapsed state in which most or all of the panels are not folded together and the barrow is relatively flattened out extending over a greater ground area than when in the erected state so that the barrow in the collapsed, flattened state can function as a ground sheet, having an enlarged surface area. For a gardener this makes it much better for collecting leaves, grass or other garden cuttings or materials, which may be swept or raked directly onto the flattened but floor area-expanded barrow before then raising/erecting the barrow to its operative wheelbarrow state to be wheeled off to a compost heap or other location.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A collapsible wheelbarrow that comprises a barrow formed of a plurality of panels that are hinged together to transition between an erected state in which the panels are configured to define an operative barrow and a collapsed state in which most or all of the panels are not folded together and the barrow is relatively flattened out extending over a greater ground area than when in the erected state, wherein the wheelbarrow has a pair of wheels that lie substantially co-planar or plane parallel with the flattened panels in the collapsed state of the wheelbarrow whereby the wheelbarrow is erected by raising and turning the wheels from being substantially co-planar or plane parallel with the flattened panels to being substantially mutually parallel with each other. 
     
     
       2. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein panels of the bar each define respectively a floor, two sidewalls and a rear end wall of the wheelbarrow. 
     
     
       3. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the panels of the wheelbarrow are configured to be folded together or towards each other in the erected state. 
     
     
       4. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least two panels are two pairs of adjoining panels that flank the rear end wall, one pair to the right hand side and the other to the left hand side of the rear end wall. 
     
     
       5. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the lapped panels in the erected state are folded close to each other in a V configuration as viewed from above. 
     
     
       6. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1 , each wheel being provided as a respective one of a pair of wheeled legs. 
     
     
       7. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each wheeled leg is located at or near a respective fold line between an adjoining panel pair. 
     
     
       8. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the wheelbarrow has a respective supporting prop on and projecting from each leg to engage the ground and support the wheelbarrow when it is standing upon the wheels. 
     
     
       9. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the barrow's panels are moulded of plastics. 
     
     
       10. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the barrow is an assembly of discrete panels, wherein adjoining panels are joined together by linkages that serve as hinges. 
     
     
       11. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the barrow is a unitary structure where the panels are portions of a sheet that has living hinges, or fold lines or lines of weakening, between adjoining panels so that the adjoining panels may be folded together and apart. 
     
     
       12. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the barrow comprise an articulated framework of panel frames with individual panels of canvas or other fabric stretched over panel frames. 
     
     
       13. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an aperture is formed in or through a panel to accommodate a wheel so that the wheel is able to lie nested into the flattened barrow. 
     
     
       14. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a locking assembly is provided on the wheelbarrow for securing it in the erected state. 
     
     
       15. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the locking assembly is in or on a bar or other rigid bridging link that spans between sidewalls of the wheelbarrow or members that are linked to the sidewalls of the barrow to hold the sidewalls at a fixed spacing apart. 
     
     
       16. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the bridging link is formed as a handle bar that extends between the wheeled legs or upward extensions of the wheeled legs of the wheelbarrow. 
     
     
       17. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the handle bar has a left hand portion extending from the left leg and a right hand portion extending from the right leg and that are coupled together. 
     
     
       18. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the locking assembly comprises at least one ratchet pivot. 
     
     
       19. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the handle bar left hand portion and right hand portion are coupled together by an intermediate handlebar portion and with a first ratchet pivot between the handle bar left hand portion and the intermediate handlebar portion and a second ratchet pivot between the handle bar right hand portion and the intermediate handlebar portion. 
     
     
       20. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the barrow in the flattened state has a rounded shape with the outer perimeter of the panels curving outwardly, extending the footprint of the barrow in the flattened state. 
     
     
       21. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the panels of the barrow are hinged together whereby in the collapsed state the panels are substantially contiguous and form a sheet over the ground. 
     
     
       22. A collapsible wheelbarrow as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the panels of the barrow are augmented by sidewall extension panels that demountably fasten to side wall panels of the wheelbarrow. 
     
     
       23. A method of operating a wheelbarrow for collecting and transporting ground-lying materials the method comprising the steps of:
 i) providing a collapsed wheelbarrow that comprises a wheeled barrow formed of a plurality of panels to transition between an erected state in which the panels are configured to define the operative barrow and a collapsed state in which most or all of the panels are not folded together and the barrow is relatively flattened out extending over a greater ground area than when in the erected state; 
 ii) deploying the wheelbarrow in the collapsed state on the ground along-side ground-lying materials and sweeping, raking or otherwise transferring the ground-lying materials onto the barrow; and 
 iii) erecting the wheelbarrow to the erected operative wheelbarrow state, standing on a pair of wheels of the wheelbarrow to be wheeled to another location, wherein the pair of wheels lie substantially co-planar or plane parallel with the flattened panels in the collapsed state of the wheelbarrow and the step of erecting the wheelbarrow is effected by raising and turning the wheels from being substantially co-planar or plane parallel with the flattened panels to being substantially mutually parallel with each other.